well im a newbie too bass im just starting out and i take lessons for accustic and then i try stuf out on bass later. But would it just be better if i go stright to bass, lost of people tell me to learn accustic first. i personally dont want to. what would you suggest?
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How did you start of learning?
- Thread starter ADU
- Start date
Personally, I just picked up a bass and started playing it, without knowing guitar first. Guitar is not a prerequisite to bass, nor vice-versa or whatever people might believe. The two compliment each other well, and I'd recommend taking some kind of lessons regarding either or both, because you'll probably learn more and faster than I did. Plus, being able to read music makes a huge difference. (Duh.)
Congrats on taking up the bass 
In my opinion, leaning quickly happens if one is eager for learning something and having fun with it.
If you are not motivated to learn accoustic (be it bass or guitar), progress will not happen as quickly, and ultimately you might be inclined to give it up because you are not having fun with it.
Before you know it, you'll WANT to take theory lessons and learn piano and guitar, etc. etc..
Have fun! (Thats an order
)
In my opinion, leaning quickly happens if one is eager for learning something and having fun with it.
If you are not motivated to learn accoustic (be it bass or guitar), progress will not happen as quickly, and ultimately you might be inclined to give it up because you are not having fun with it.
Before you know it, you'll WANT to take theory lessons and learn piano and guitar, etc. etc..
Have fun! (Thats an order
)
Mark Wilson
Supporting Member
studybass.com, as well as this website. watching youtube videos of other bass players, and listening. Just recently started taking lessons to help with my technique.
I'm not suggesting this as a method for new bass players, but...
I learned to read music by taking trumpet lessons in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades.
I learned to play bass by getting a Mel Bay book that had the little stickers for the neck listing the notes fret by fret, getting sheet music and by playing along to records.
I don't use the stickers anymore.
Seriously though, I do think they accelerated my fretboard learning curve.
I don't think the acoustic guitar idea is all bad either.
I learned to read music by taking trumpet lessons in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades.
I learned to play bass by getting a Mel Bay book that had the little stickers for the neck listing the notes fret by fret, getting sheet music and by playing along to records.
I don't use the stickers anymore.
Seriously though, I do think they accelerated my fretboard learning curve.
I don't think the acoustic guitar idea is all bad either.
I picked up a bass book and my dad's acoustic guitar (not bass) and taught myself the basics. My great uncle is a bass player and he taught me a bit of the basics on his bass when he would come over to jam with my dad. I played that way for over a year before I got my first bass in 83. Mom and dad did not have a lot of money and I was only 11 in 82 when I first wanted to play bass so I could not get a job.
1. A led zeppelin chord book I borrowed from my sister.
2. Had a friend who picked up guitar the same time I picked up bass.
3. Procrastinated doing a *lot* of homework in high school.
I suspect the last item is why I made any progress at all.
2. Had a friend who picked up guitar the same time I picked up bass.
3. Procrastinated doing a *lot* of homework in high school.
I suspect the last item is why I made any progress at all.
I went from keyboards to guitar to bass, so I have a bit of an opinion on this. After 20 years of guitar playing, the transition to BASIC bass playing was simple, but my right hand still needs a lot of work to play complex lines.
There's 2 basic parts to learning an instrument - the knowledge of music and the physical techniques. The knowledge easily translates from one instrument to another, and can be broken down into notational skills (tab, sight reading), intervallic theory (intervals, chord formulas, scales, modes, progressions, notes on the fretboard, keyboard, etc.), rhythm, and ear training. That's why guitar players pick up the bass rather quickly.
The physical aspect (pick playing, fingerpicking, slap/pop, chord and scale shapes, left hand stuff, tapping, whatever) can translate a little, but not totally. Left hand strength and right hand techniques require time specifically on a bass in order to develop them. A good bass player is going to be able to play things on a bass that a guitarist transitioning cannot do immediately.
Bottom line - it depends on your goals. If you want to be just a bassist, just play bass. If you want to be an all around musician, then pick up a guitar, or play keys too. It's nice to have the guitar or keyboard knowledge under your belt for writing basslines and understanding what the other guys you're playing with are doing, but it's not required. You can learn by just picking up a bass and going for it. Your physical technique will come faster than if you split time on guitar and bass.
Regardless of what you do, I'd spend a lot of time learning about intervallic theory, chord formulas and scales. That's where it's all at. Knowing the difference between a 2nd, minor 3rd, major 3rd, etc. That's what puts it all together.
Good luck.
my mom found a local music teaching place, and i took a year of weekend lessons, but the teacher was a guitarist adn new little about bass, came from the root school of bass theory. He was still in bands trying to make it and didn't care. After about a year, with weekend lessons not every weekend, i ended teaching myself slap and pop, tapping and musical ear, and reading musica nd jazz and etc. It is good to familiarize for a year in my opinion and then go after ahat you want.
i started off learning by just watching my older brother play his bass. i'd pick it up when he wasn't around and try stuff i saw him do.
then he ended up going to college, and left his bass behind. so i called dibs on it.
after that it was just many hours a day spent in my room messing around seeing what worked and what didn't
then he ended up going to college, and left his bass behind. so i called dibs on it.
after that it was just many hours a day spent in my room messing around seeing what worked and what didn't
the school orchestra needed a bass player,i didnt play an instrument but the school paiid for a tuter
6 years later hear i am
6 years later hear i am
Wow! I wish I would have started when u did. Do find it, hard, at times to play even the most basic worship songs, with fills, hard? I do.
I started playing along with records, then took some lessons for a few months at a local music shop. I learned some theory in music class in high school, but that is still my nemesis.
I've found the best way to get playing well is to stay away from the fills and frilly stuff on a song until you really have the chords and timing nailed...I try and stick to a 20times rule I made up. I'm only allowed to fill or spice up a song after I have been able to play it perfectly all the way through 20 times...then I get to have fun with it.
The other great tip I learned from MarlowDK on youtube was to always practice with a drummer or drum machine...keeps the beat. Check out his lessons, very funky.
I've found the best way to get playing well is to stay away from the fills and frilly stuff on a song until you really have the chords and timing nailed...I try and stick to a 20times rule I made up. I'm only allowed to fill or spice up a song after I have been able to play it perfectly all the way through 20 times...then I get to have fun with it.
The other great tip I learned from MarlowDK on youtube was to always practice with a drummer or drum machine...keeps the beat. Check out his lessons, very funky.
Not hard at all. I have never ventured into solo bass playing (Jaco, Wooten, etc) I much prefer to be part of a group and play a song than solo. Most of my experience has been jumping to to groups and learning songs on the fly. I still jam with my dad and his taste in music is extreemly different than mine, but I can still jump in. Being able to learn songs quickly helps since we learn several new songs every week. Also when I was giggin I could cover most any gig on the fly is I knew the key. I have played 4 hour or more gigs with only an hour or so practice with the band in a style of music I really do not listen to.
I started out on viola in elementary school, learned most things completely wrong, got pissed off at teachers, and I could have cared less about classical music.
I started bass guitar when I was 14. I mostly just locked myself in a room and plunked on the strings making random noises until it sounded good. I took lessons here and there, but I never was on the same page as my teachers. I made some attempts to learn how to properly read music, but it never clicked until I went to college and FORCED myself to learn it.
I've learned the self-taught way and the formal way. I far prefer self-taught but there are some things that you really need a good teacher for. You need to want to know the right things before you can be taught. Some things can't be taught.
Enjoy bass!
I started bass guitar when I was 14. I mostly just locked myself in a room and plunked on the strings making random noises until it sounded good. I took lessons here and there, but I never was on the same page as my teachers. I made some attempts to learn how to properly read music, but it never clicked until I went to college and FORCED myself to learn it.
I've learned the self-taught way and the formal way. I far prefer self-taught but there are some things that you really need a good teacher for. You need to want to know the right things before you can be taught. Some things can't be taught.
Enjoy bass!
Definitely go straight to bass. For the love of bass guitar! I wouldn't play an instrument if it weren't for bass. Of course, music theory is the second most important thing to learn. That way you can transfer your knowledge to other instruments, like guitar, exactly like sixtwofour said.
My teacher started with bass and now teaches bass, piano and guitar. He told me about mbira (an African thumb piano) which reminds me of steel drums. Makes me feel like, knowing rhythm, and knowing scales, I could be a drummer too if I wanted to be.
Also, singing: do, re, me, fa, so, la, ti, do...that's a musical scale. If you can sing it, you should be able to play it, and vice-versa. Then you can play it on any instrument.
BUT REMEMBER: Bass is the Place.
My teacher started with bass and now teaches bass, piano and guitar. He told me about mbira (an African thumb piano) which reminds me of steel drums. Makes me feel like, knowing rhythm, and knowing scales, I could be a drummer too if I wanted to be.
Also, singing: do, re, me, fa, so, la, ti, do...that's a musical scale. If you can sing it, you should be able to play it, and vice-versa. Then you can play it on any instrument.
BUT REMEMBER: Bass is the Place.
I used a lot of youtube videos, and just practiced a ton. I still do. Im on my 3rd year of playing on July 1st.
The bass guitar is easier to learn because the bass typically doesnt play full chords. It generally plays the root notes of the guitar chords to inhance the overall sound of the chord. You dont have to do chord changes and memorise chord shapes. However the bass is a more physically demanding instrument. You need to build a lot of strength in both hands.
The best way to learn is to find other musicians who have a music theory education. They can explain how things fit together. You also should purchase a book of scales and practice the penatonic, major, and blues scale shapes. those are the most often used scales in most modern music.
When your picking out wich instrument to learn go to a music store and play a whole bunch of instruments. Find the one that calls to you. Its a matter of passion, not a matter of which instrument will help you develop fastest. Learn the instrument that you want to learn.
The bass guitar is easier to learn because the bass typically doesnt play full chords. It generally plays the root notes of the guitar chords to inhance the overall sound of the chord. You dont have to do chord changes and memorise chord shapes. However the bass is a more physically demanding instrument. You need to build a lot of strength in both hands.
The best way to learn is to find other musicians who have a music theory education. They can explain how things fit together. You also should purchase a book of scales and practice the penatonic, major, and blues scale shapes. those are the most often used scales in most modern music.
When your picking out wich instrument to learn go to a music store and play a whole bunch of instruments. Find the one that calls to you. Its a matter of passion, not a matter of which instrument will help you develop fastest. Learn the instrument that you want to learn.
Actually, with guitar "all you have to do" is memorize chord shapes. The rest is easy, which is why they can sing & play at the same time and we can't - a larger part of our brain is engaged in the act of playing more of the time. Sure while guitarists are soloing or whatever they're as engaged as we are or close to it, but we're doing that *all the time*.
